Dress
Clothing MakerMade by
Unknown
Dateabout 1865
MediumHand-stitched and machine-stitched silk and cotton, with silk fringe, silk velvet ribbon, cotton wadding, unidentified boning (probably baleen), and brass hooks and eyes
DimensionsBodice (length x width across shoulders): 16 1/2 x 18in. (41.9 x 45.7cm)
Skirt (length): 43in. (109.2cm)
Hem (circumference): 137in. (348cm)
ClassificationsCostume
Credit LineGift of Mrs. John D. Rusku
Object number1966.137.7a-d
DescriptionWoman's day dress consisting of a bodice (.a) and skirt (.b), made of blue and gray silk woven in a wide plaid design. The bodice is styled with a high, round neckline, which has a 3/8-inch-wide binding of self-fabric. It has a center front opening, which is closed with hidden brass hooks and eyes. Six silk ball tassels are stitched in the place of buttons on the left edge of the bodice opening. The bodice is fitted with two six-inch darts on either side of the opening; the darts closest to the opening are boned. There are also narrow horizontal darts taken in the bodice back from the armscye seams, and a small cotton-stuffed pad behind the left shoulder, which suggests that the wearer needed some special fitting to accomodate a spine irregularity. The wide coat sleeves are trimmed with blue and gray silk fringe around the wrist opening and up the outside of the arm. The top of the sleeve is decorated with a separate cap, which is also trimmed with fringe. The bodice is lined with brown twill-woven cotton.
The bodice has been pieced around the neckline in order to make it higher. The side seams have been let out and the angle of the darts has been altered. The sleeves were changed; the original plain coat sleeves trimmed at the wrist with black velvet ribbon (.c and .d) were given with the dress. The changes to the darts were made with an early machine chain-stitch. The thread used to sew the tassels to the front of the bodice is the same as that used for the alterations, so these are also apparently a slightly later addition to the dress. The change to the sleeves didn't update the style, but made them fancier.
The skirt is flat in front, knife-pleated on the sides, and cartridge-pleated in back. Old stitch marks and fold lines indicate that the cartridge pleating formerly extended further around the skirt; thus the skirt was made a bit wider in the waist at the same time that the bodice was let out at the side seams. The skirt is lined with plain-woven, brown glazed cotton. There is an in-seam pocket on the right side. The hem is faced for 1 1/4 inches with brown glazed cotton stitched on the bias; the bottom edge of the skirt is bound with brown velvet.
The bodice has been pieced around the neckline in order to make it higher. The side seams have been let out and the angle of the darts has been altered. The sleeves were changed; the original plain coat sleeves trimmed at the wrist with black velvet ribbon (.c and .d) were given with the dress. The changes to the darts were made with an early machine chain-stitch. The thread used to sew the tassels to the front of the bodice is the same as that used for the alterations, so these are also apparently a slightly later addition to the dress. The change to the sleeves didn't update the style, but made them fancier.
The skirt is flat in front, knife-pleated on the sides, and cartridge-pleated in back. Old stitch marks and fold lines indicate that the cartridge pleating formerly extended further around the skirt; thus the skirt was made a bit wider in the waist at the same time that the bodice was let out at the side seams. The skirt is lined with plain-woven, brown glazed cotton. There is an in-seam pocket on the right side. The hem is faced for 1 1/4 inches with brown glazed cotton stitched on the bias; the bottom edge of the skirt is bound with brown velvet.
Status
Not on view
5 June 1862
